Activists gathered in front of the J.C. Nichols Fountain in Mill Street Park to protest the escalation of violence in the region.

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The group also demonstrated against the Israeli military occupation of Palestine.

"Since 1967, in particular, they have increased their occupation and increased their control of both Gaza and the West Bank, and have done absolutely egregious things the world is basically looking away from," said Fatima Mohammadi of Citizens for Justice in the Middle East.

The protest came amid news of the first major ground battle between Israel and Hamas since the invasion of Gaza. It left 13 Israeli soldiers and 65 Palestinians dead.